Irish Colcannon Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why is colcannon important in Ireland? ›

Colcannon is a hearty dish that has been eaten on Halloween night for years. Traditionally, a ring was hidden in the dish, and whoever was to find it would be likely to marry in the upcoming year! Colcannon was even paired with a little poem: Did you ever eat Colcannon, made from lovely pickled cream?

Irish Vegetable Soup is a simple and rustic soup consisting of potatoes, carrots, onions, leeks and broccoli cooked in broth and pureed until smooth. Serve topped with lots of freshly ground black pepper and snipped chives and alongside sliced Irish brown bread.

Add flour or cornflour

Put a tablespoon of either into a small bowl and stir in 2-3 tbsp of the soup until you have a smooth mixture. Stir this back into the soup and bring it to a simmer. Cook for a few minutes to allow the starch granules to burst to thicken, and to cook out any flour flavour.

There are several ways to thicken pumpkin soup. The easiest method is to reduce the soup by cooking off some of the liquid. Alternatively, use a slurry of all-purpose flour or cornstarch and water, add a teaspoon or two of either thickener to a small bowl and stir in 2 to 3 teaspoons of the soup to create a slurry.

Grains, either as bread or porridge, were the other mainstay of the pre-potato Irish diet, and the most common was the humble oat, usually made into oatcakes and griddled (ovens hadn't really taken off yet).

Colcannon is a mixture of cooked and shredded cabbage and mashed potatoes. The word colcannon is derived from the Gaelic term cal ceannann, which means "white-headed cabbage" — the vegetable most commonly mixed with potatoes in this dish.

Carrot. After potatoes, carrots are without doubt the best-known and most popular root vegetable of all.

Irish stew (Irish: Stobhach Gaelach) or Stobhach is a stew from Ireland that is traditionally made with root vegetables and lamb or mutton, but also commonly with beef. As in all traditional folk dishes, the exact recipe is not consistent from time to time, or place to place.

The basic ingredients were onions, cabbage, turnips, water and sometimes a little milk. Bland and of little nutritional interest, these soups were often diluted in liters of water to be able to feed as many people as possible at a time of unprecedented food shortages.

The moment any vegetable is picked, it begins to dehydrate (i.e., dry out). This loss of moisture tends to concentrate any chemical compounds which, in turn, intensifies any overall taste, especially their already noticeably bitter flavor. For best results, cook all squash right away.

Is it better to thicken soup with flour or cornstarch? ›

It's important to note that cornstarch has twice the thickening power of flour. If you need to substitute cornstarch to thicken liquid in a recipe that calls for ¼ cup (four tablespoons) flour, you only need two tablespoons cornstarch.

Add Flour Or Cornstarch

You can thicken soup by adding flour, cornstarch, or another starchy substitute. For the best results, never add flour or cornstarch directly to your soup. If you do, it will clump up on top. Instead, ladle a small amount of broth into a separate bowl and let it cool.

“Pumpkin soup is best made with your good, old-fashioned varieties like butternut or Queensland blue — the harder pumpkins,” she says. “Soft fleshed pumpkins can make the soup a little watery. They are a different beast… from your standard greengrocer pumpkin.”

Another option for thickening soup is by using dairy like sour cream or yogurt. Start with a small dollop and stir before checking the consistency and adding more. We recommend using plain yogurt so you don't alter the taste of the soup. You can also use cream if you prefer.

Why were potatoes so important to Ireland? The potato plant was hardy, nutritious, calorie-dense, and easy to grow in Irish soil. By the time of the famine, nearly half of Ireland's population relied almost exclusively on potatoes for their diet, and the other half ate potatoes frequently.

Consuming potassium-rich foods like Irish potatoes can help reduce the risk of hypertension and lower the chances of heart disease and stroke. Immune System Support: Irish potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C, which is known for its immune-boosting properties.

Historically, the Irish stew was a practical dish made by boiling mutton with potatoes and onions. This was an affordable meal for many Irish families during times when resources were scarce. Over time, this simple stew evolved into a symbol of Irish culinary tradition.

The Irish often used the good land to grow things like wheat and corn that they would sell to pay their rent. This left the farmers with a small piece of land to grow their own food. Potatoes took up very little space and were very nutritious. One acre of potatoes could feed a family of four for a year.